Primary spray breakup from a nasal spray atomizer using volume of fluid to discrete phase model

Abstract

Spray atomization process involves complex multi-phase phenomena. Abundant literature and validation of spray modeling for industrial applications like fuel injection in internal combustion and turbine jet engines are available. However, only a handful of studies, primarily limited to discrete phase modeling, of low-pressure applications, such as nasal spray exists. This study aims to provide insight into the external and near-nozzle spray characterization of a continuous spray and establishes good validation against the experiment. A three-dimensional (3D) x-ray scanner was used to extract the internal nasal spray nozzle geometry which was reconstructed to build a 3D computational model. A novel volume-of-fluid to discrete phase transition model was used to track the liquid phase and its transition to droplets, which was based on the shape and size of the liquid lumps. In this study, an early pre-stable and stable phase of spray plume development was investigated. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out to validate the computational model. A liquid column exited a nozzle which distorted at its base with advancement in time and eventually formed a hollow-cone liquid sheet. It then disintegrated due to instability that produced fluctuations to form ligaments resulting in secondary breakup. This study provides in-depth understanding of liquid jet disintegration and droplet formation, which adds value to future nasal spray device designs and techniques to facilitate more effective targeted nasal drug delivery.